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House of Assembly - Fifty-Second Parliament, First Session (52-1)
2010-09-28 Daily Xml
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TOURISM

The Hon. S.W. KEY (Ashford) (15:20): My question is to the Minister for Tourism. Minister, last sitting week you informed the house about international visitors to South Australia. Can you now inform the house how South Australia is tracking when it comes to attracting domestic visitors.

The Hon. J.R. RAU (Enfield—Attorney-General, Minister for Justice, Minister for Tourism) (15:20): I thank the honourable member for her question. With new data released we can see that domestic tourism in South Australia is improving along with international tourism and is, in fact, hitting the mark. I know everyone here is very excited about this—I certainly am and I know the Hon. Mr Stephens in the other place is also very excited about this.

In the 12 months to June 2010, expenditure by intrastate and interstate tourists in South Australia rose by 17 per cent—that is a one and a seven—against a national increase in holiday expenditure of just 6 per cent. The difference is 11 per cent which is an excellent result here in South Australia. The number of interstate holiday visitors to South Australia rose by a stunning 19 per cent and the number of interstate holiday visitors nights increased by 23 per cent.

It just gets better and better. Not only are we watching more visitors come to South Australia but we are encouraging them to stay longer. They are not only coming more often but they are staying longer. Over the same 12-month period 4.7 million—that is a four and a seven and lots of zeroes after it—overall domestic travellers, including holiday tourists, visiting friends and relatives and business travellers, spent an average of 3.8 nights in South Australia. That is 4.7 times 3.8—that is an even bigger number.

The total domestic overnight expenditure rose 4 per cent to $2.9 billion. Including day trips, total domestic expenditure was up $3.8 million which was up 2 per cent—some of them even went to Kangaroo Island. Including international, total tourism expenditure was up $4.5 million, which is up 4 per cent. Our campaign to make South Australia an attractive choice for domestic holiday visitors—

Mr Pengilly interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order, member for Finniss! There are three minutes left in question time so there is still time to throw someone out—you might be the first.

The Hon. J.R. RAU: Thank you for you help, Madam Speaker. I would have thought the member for Finniss in particular would be interested in this because one of his communities on Kangaroo Island considered that its future might lie with tourism. These things that I am talking about might be of assistance to him and his constituents. I know the member for Bragg is also very interested in Kangaroo Island, as am I. Not only that, the Minister for Infrastructure is interested in Kangaroo Island as is the minister for primary industries. There is unanimity in the chamber about interest in Kangaroo Island and I am trying to tell you some of the good news about Kangaroo Island. If you would just let me finish—

Mr Pengilly: Oprah is coming!

The Hon. J.R. RAU: I had not heard that but if she knew about Kangaroo Island I am sure she would be there. Our campaign to make South Australia an attractive choice for domestic holiday visitors is having a positive impact and has helped us edge closer to our South Australian Tourism Plan 2009-14 goal of $6.3 billion in visitor expenditure by the year 2014. I congratulate the industry on its efforts and I look forward to even greater improvements, with Kangaroo Island featuring as an aspect high up there as a jewel in the crown.

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